In the Morning
by jemb
Summary: Brennan has a near death experience. How will this affect and and her relationship with Booth?


**_Woah, something strange came over me today. I was at work and a little scenario popped into my head. At first I thought I would use it in one of my other stories but as I started putting it into writing, this whole other thing came out. It's a bit of an angsty piece with BB fluff injected so you don't all run off to commit suicide lol :). It will only be a one shot as I don't think I have the energy to continue. Writing this took all my energy and I'd hate to spoil a good thing by trying to drag it out. _**

_**Please review as well so I know if I did good.**_

Brennan glances at the clock on the dashboard of the car. She's supposed to have met Booth fifteen minutes ago but her meeting with the town coroner lasted longer than expected and she's now running late. She presses her foot down on the accelerator and speeds up a little. As she takes a turn in the road, her cell phone rings. Glancing to the passenger seat she sees the screen light up and Booth's name flash up. _Calling me because I'm late_ she presumes. Suddenly something in front of her on the road catches her eye. Brennan slams on the breaks to avoid the deer standing in the middle of the road but as she breaks, the car begins to skid out of control.

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Brennan tries frantically to steer the car away from the embankment leading down to the lake but she doesn't have the strength and in just a matter of seconds, the car careers out of control down the slope and splashes with immense force into the depths of the lake. As the car settles and starts to sink Brennan tries not panic but she finds her breathing becoming erratic and she feels like she has no control over her body. Ice cold water begins to pool at her feet as she tries in vain to push the door open to get out. It won't budge and Brennan knows she's in trouble. Her cell phone is still ringing beside her on the passenger seat so she reaches over and grabs it, flipping the phone open and holding it to her ear.

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"Bones? You there?" Booth asks. He hears strange noises on the other end of the phone and there is a lot of interference.

"Booth…the car…sinking." She cries.

"What? Bones is that you?" Booth presses one finger into his ear as he strains to her the voice on the end of the phone.

"The lake…sinking…" her voice comes through crackly and barely audible.

"Bones where are you?"

"In the lake!" she shouts. Her eyes fly down to where the water has reached her knees. Holding the phone with one hand she struggles to get her seatbelt off.

"Bones, I'm my way." Booth yells. "Get out the car." He tells her.

"I…door…stuck." He doesn't hear all of her words but he understands what's happening to her. As he jumps into his SUV he tries to sound calm as he tells her what to do.

"Bones, you'll have to wait for the pressure to equalise before the door will open." He says. "Take a deep breath and open the door when the car is submerged, I'll be there. I'll come for you." He says. His heard pounds when the phone cuts out and Booth knows he doesn't have much time.

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As the icy water fills up the car, Brennan tries to steady her breathing. _I can do this_ she thinks. _Just take a deep breath and push the door open_. She makes sure her body is not tangled in anything and as the water reaches her neck she begins to take deep breaths. _Booth, don't let me down_ she thinks as she takes her final breath and the car is completely submerged in water. Seconds later it bumps onto the floor of the lake and Brennan begins to push. At first the door doesn't budge and Brennan feels bubbles of panic rising in her stomach. As she pushes with her shoulder the door finally opens and Brennan slips out into the freezing lake. She kicks her way clear of the car and towards the surface. Just when she thinks her lungs are going to explode, she bursts through the surface. As she sucks in fresh air, she swallows a lot of water and she begins to cough, unable to breathe properly. Her arms thrash around and she kicks frantically, just trying to keep herself above the surface.

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Booth pulls his cell from his pocket and as he runs down the path to the beach alongside the only part of the road where it meets the lake, he calls for an ambulance. As his feet hit the sand, Booth scans the area around him. His heart leaps into his throat when he sees a dark figure thrashing around in the water. He doesn't need to be any closer to know that it is Brennan out there. As he carries on forward, the figure disappears under the water only to re-emerge a few seconds later. Without breaking his stride, Booth yanks off his jacket, tossing it onto the sand. Moments later he enters the icy lake and begins to swim powerfully towards Brennan, utilising every ounce of strength he has. He tries to keep his eyes on her in case she submerges again. His worst fears are confirmed as Brennan slips under the water. This time she doesn't come back up and Booth increases his pace until he reaches the area she went down. Treading water, Booth scans around for a sign of her but she isn't coming up so he takes a deep breath and dives under the water. The darkness makes it almost impossible to see anything and after a short time Booth has to come back up for air. He shakes his head, looks around then takes another deep breath before going back under. By some force Booth can only put down to God's intervention, when he dives under for the second time he finds Brennan.

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Booth's arms grasp her body and he pulls her up with him. When he breaks through the surface, he gasps in several deep breaths. Booth can't tell what condition Brennan is in, he just knows she isn't conscious and that he has to get her to the shore immediately. Twisting her limp body around, he wraps his arm across her chest and begins to swim back to the beach. The swim seems to take forever but finally Booth feels sand beneath his feet. Dragging Brennan's dead weight with him he finally starts to emerge from the water. Scooping her into his arms, Booth hurries out of the lake and onto the sand. He falls to his knees next to where he dropped his jacket and lowers Brennan down. Her chest is not moving to indicate that she is breathing and upon feeling her neck for a pulse, Booth sucks in a breath when he cannot find one. Her skin looks almost white and he swears her lips have turned slightly blue.

"Bones, don't do this to me." He says as he straightens her body out and wipes her wet matted hair from her face. "Come on Bones." He says as he tilts her head back in preparation for CPR. His hands find their way to the correct point on her chest to start compressions and after mentally running through the procedure, he begins. After five compressions he pinches Brennan's nose and breathes twice into her mouth. He begins compressions again and repeats the moves three or four more times.

"Please Bones, don't do this to me." He cries when he gets know response from her. "Come on Bones." He completes another cycle and feels only a moment of relief when he checks her pulse and feels a slow but steady beat. "Bones, breathe for me." He says before breathing air into her lungs again. "Breath Bones, breathe."

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Suddenly her body convulses into life. She coughs up water and heaves a couple of raggy breaths.

"That's my girl, that's my girl." Booth whispers as he gathers Brennan into his arms and cradles her close to his chest. He can feel her whole body shaking and he knows he needs to get her warm. As he reaches for his jacket, her head rolls back and her arms hang limply at her sides. It doesn't escape him that her breathing is shallow and very laboured.

"I got you." He tells her, his hand stroking the back of her head. "I got you." He repeats as he drapes his jacket over her and rubs her arms trying to stimulate blood flow and warmth. He hugs her tightly, hoping any contact with his warmer body will help her, as he watches the top of the embankment for signs of the paramedics. Finally Booth sees the paramedics running towards him but he doesn't relax at all. Brennan is still unconscious and her breathing is irregular.

"You have to help her." He cries to the paramedics. "Her heart stopped and she wasn't breathing. I brought her back but she's not waking up."

"Okay Sir, we need you to let her go." One paramedic tells him. Booth pauses a moment then reluctantly lowers Brennan to the sand. He scoots backwards and watches as the paramedics set about helping Brennan. He hears what they are saying but none of it seems to make sense to him. _I can't lose you, not now_ he thinks.

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Brennan blinks her eyes open and glances around her surroundings. The room is bright white and it hurts her eyes to look. She moans softly and closes her eyes, shivering a little. Then she feels a warmth on her arm and a voice calling to her.

"Temperance?" she feels someone lift her hand and hold it tightly.

"Booth?" she whispers.

"I'm here, I'm right here." He tells her as he rises from the chair to lean over her. His free hand runs through her hair and down her cheek.

"I'm cold." She says weakly, her eyes still closed tight. She feels something being draped over her and when she forces her eyes open she sees a blurry image of Booth standing at the side of her bed, tucking a blanket around her.

"Hey." He smiles. "Welcome back."

"What happened?" she croaks.

"You gave me a scare, that's what." Booth laughs lightly. "But you're okay Bones, you're okay." He assures her. His voice soothes her and soon she drifts back to sleep, exhausted from her ordeal.

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When Brennan wakes a few hours later Booth is still at her side. She opens her eyes to find him asleep in the chair at the side of her bed. His legs are stretched out, crossed at the ankles, and his hands clasped behind his head.

"Booth." She croaks. He snaps awake and leans forward, grasping her hand. He feels her tighten her fingers around his hand and her strength assures him she's going to be okay.

"I'm here Bones." He smiles as she turns her head and focuses her eyes on him.

"What time is it?"

"A little after five am." Booth replies. He sees a look of confusion come across her face and she tightens her grip on his hand. "You've been asleep for a while." He moves out of the chair and perches on the edge of the bed.

"You…the lake." She struggles to find the right words.

"I know Bones, it was pretty scary out there for a little bit." He smiles. "But the doctor says you'll be fine with a bit of rest."

"Thank you." She whispers. "You saved my life."

"I guess I did." He grins. "You know you owe me now." He laughs lightly. Brennan smiles back and shifts her position, tugging the blanket around her with her free hand.

"You still cold?" Booth asks. "I can get you another blanket." He says. Brennan nods and lets her eyes fall shut. She feels Booth's hand slip away from hers but she doesn't panic because she knows he'll be right back. He is and she feels another blanket being tucked in around her. She opens her eyes to see Booth leaning over her, his eyes searching her face for something, probably signs that she _is_ okay.

"I need to go see the sheriff Bones." He tells her. "But I'll be back as soon as I can." He explains, hoping she'll be alright by herself.

"Okay." She mumbles.

"Get some rest and maybe when I get back the doctor will be able to tell us when you can get out of here." He leans down and places a lingering kiss on her forehead then brushes his fingers over her cheek as he pulls back. "I'll be back soon, I promise." He adds as he heads out the door.

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Twelve hours later Brennan is resting in her motel room. Well as close to resting as she ever gets. The case file is laid out in front of her on the bed while she leafs through the various notes. The Doctor released her from the hospital after she protested that she was fine and would do much better if she was in a comfortable bed. He reluctantly agreed, only because of a conversation he had with Booth in which he was told that Brennan would simply discharge herself if he tried to keep her much longer.

"Bones, what did the doctor tell you?" Booth asks when he walks in to find Brennan engrossed in a file. She glances up when Booth walks through the door.

"I'm resting."

"How is _that_ resting?" Booth indicates to the files on the bed.

"I'm sitting down." Brennan defends herself. Booth just shrugs and makes his way into the room, plopping down on the end of the bed.

"I brought you some dinner." Booth passes a paper bag over.

"I'm not hungry." Brennan replies, not glancing up from her files. She hears Booth sigh and finally lifts her eyes to look over at him.

"What?" she asks.

"Bones, you do realise that less than twenty four hours ago you were, for a few minutes, technically dead." He says seriously. Something in the word 'dead' strikes Brennan in the heart and drops the file in her hand. "Bones, I'm not going to sit here and tell you to take care of yourself. You need to start doing it on your own." He places the bag down on the bed and rises to his feet. "I'll be next door." He says with a heavy heart. He doesn't really want to leave Brennan but so far she's ignored the doctors orders to rest and now she doesn't want to eat. _I won't always be there to make sure she eats and sleeps_ he tells himself as he walks away from her. When he reaches the door he half expects her to call out to him but she doesn't so he keeps walking. When the door is closed behind him he stands still, taking a few deep breaths. Every instinct in his body says 'go back there and hold her' but he forces his feet to cross the veranda to his own room.

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Booth isn't really awake but he isn't sleeping either. Trapped somewhere in between, his mind picks up on a loud noise he immediately recognises as a scream when he wakes fully.

"Bones." He gasps. Jumping out of bed in just his sweat pants and a t-shirt, he dashes out his door. When he gets to Brennan's door he tries to open it but she's locked it from the inside. He can hear her crying out obviously having a nightmare and it pains him that he can't get in. He pushes hard against the door a few times and the lock finally pops, allowing him to rush in. He finds Brennan tossing in bed, her face contorted with fear. He is at her side in seconds, grasping her shoulders and shaking her awake.

"Bones, wake up." He calls. She finally snaps awake and her eyes spring open, terrified. Booth pulls her to him and she buries her face in his chest, sobs wracking her body. Booth cradles her head, stroking her hair and whispering to her.

"You're okay, you're okay. It was just a dream. I'm here, I'm here." He feels her hands clinging to his shoulders and something inside him breaks. _I've never seen here like this….ever_. Finally she seems to gain some control of herself and her sobbing subsides. But she doesn't pull away from him. Instead, she keeps her face hidden from him.

"I don't want to die." She cries. Her words are muffled but Booth hears them loud and clear. He doesn't know how to answer her so he just holds her closer, almost melding her body to his. They remain like this for what seems like an eternity. Finally Booth speaks.

"Temperance." He says softly. "You're not going to die…at least not yet." He says with a little smile. "You're going to live for a long time, annoying me." His words seem to get through to Brennan and she pulls back from Booth a little so he can see her face. Her pale cheeks are streaked with tears and her eyes are glassy with more tears lurking behind.

"You don't know that." She sniffs.

"Oh Bones, if I know one thing it's that you are tough and you are not about to leave this earth, not without one hell of a fight." He pauses. "You fought hard last night Bones and look, you're still here."

"Only because of you." She lifts one hand and wipes her wet cheeks. Booth unwraps his arms from around her and cups her face in both hands.

"This time Bones." Booth tells her. "And every other time I can. But I can't always be there. That's why I worry about you so much. You need to need to look after yourself so you don't take unnecessary risks." Brennan nods and tries to hold back more tears but they come spilling down her cheeks anyway. Booth wipes them away with his thumbs and gives her a little smile.

"Booth, I'm scared." She tells him. Her voice is barely a whisper.

"Why Bones? What are you scared of?" Booth asks as one hand leaves her cheek to stroke her hair.

"I trust you." She states.

"I don't understand."

"Every man in my life I've trusted has left me. My father, Russ, Michael, David." She sighs.

"And you think I'll leave you too?"

"I trust you more than I trusted any of them." She admits. Booth leans back so he can look directly in Brennan's eyes.

"Temperance. I'm proud that you trust me and I want you to know that I will never choose to leave you." He says. "As long as I have any say in the matter I'll be in your life." His words seem to strike a chord with Brennan and her sobs begin all over again.

"Oh Bones." Booth smiles and leans in, planting a kiss on her cheek, tasting the salt of her tears. He then kisses the other cheek before kissing closer and closer to her lips. When he brushes his lips against hers, Brennan is not startled at all. It seems perfectly natural. Booth repeats the movement only this time his lips linger and he feels Brennan relaxing into him, her tears having stopped. After a moment he pulls back and finds her eyes again.

He gives her 'The Smile' and she smiles back, not sure what all of this really means right now but happy that he's here with her, holding her and letting her know everything is alright.

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Knowing Brennan needs rest, Booth twists on the bed until he is sitting up next to her. With his arms wrapped around her shoulders, he pulls her to him. Brennan lets her head rest on Booth's chest, listening to the rhythmic sound of his heart beating. She lifts her hand and rests it beside her face, right over his heart. She starts to speak but Booth silences her.

"In the morning." He says simply. Brennan nods and relaxes into Booth. Within minutes she has slipped into a deep sleep, comforted by Booth's presence. Booth stays awake for some time watching her. He knows he's just changed their relationship forever but the analysis of that can wait. Right now he just wants to hold her close, happy that she's still with him.

_**So, click the little review button and let me know what you think….please**_


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